Choose the Right Synonym for difficult

hard, difficult, arduous mean demanding great exertion or effort. hard implies the opposite of all that is easy.
farming is hard work difficult implies the presence of obstacles to be surmounted or puzzles to be resolved and suggests the need of skill or courage.
the difficult ascent of the mountain arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion.
the arduous task of rebuilding

Examples of difficult in a Sentence

We were asked lots of difficult questions.
I had to make a very difficult decision.
We'll be hiking over difficult terrain.
It's more difficult than it sounds.
I found myself in a difficult position.
Some difficult days lie ahead of us.
These changes will make life difficult for everyone involved.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'difficult.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.